For links to information on reforms
to Canadian retirement pensions (Old Age Security, Canada
Pension Plan, etc.), see the Retirement Pension Reforms page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm
- including the proposal to raise eligibility for Old Age Security from
65 to 67

To search the complete
Canadian Social Research Links website ,
use the text box below:

To search ONLY the page you
are now reading,
use Ctrl + F to open a search window.

SUBSCRIBE
TO THE CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH NEWSLETTER
Sign up to receive this free weekly newsletter by e-mail or read it
online (including archives back to January 2005).
Each issue includes all links added to this site during the previous
week. (2800+ subscribers in January 2018)

July 21, 2017Pension plans in Canada
As of January 1, 2016http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170721/dq170721d-eng.htm
Membership in registered pension plans (RPPs) in Canada totalled 6,262,000 in
2015, up 4,900 members compared with 2014. Membership in public sector pension
plans increased by 16,500 to 3,229,000. Meanwhile, the number of members in
private sector plans fell by 11,600 to 3,032,000. The public sector accounted
for 51.6% of total RPP membership in 2015.

You need to know how to get the most from
income security programs. (Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement,
Canada Pension Plan, Ontario Disability Support). Many financial advisors
are unfamiliar with how they work - together and with other income.
John Stapleton, Open Policy Ontario, will help you understand.

Attend a free workshop at a Toronto
Public Library branch.
Each session is about two hours in duration.
Free workbooks.
All are welcome!

If you're a Toronto resident, call 416-393-7131
to reach someone at the main library who can provide additional information.
If you're not a Toronto resident but would like to invite the presenter
(John Stapleton) to speak to your group or to attend a session, send
an email request to John using the electronic comments page: http://openpolicyontario.com/contact/

Author and presenter John Stapleton is
a writer, instructor and Innovations Fellow with the Metcalf Foundation.
He worked for the Ontario Government for 28 years in the areas of social
assistance policy and operations and was Research Director for the Task
Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults in Toronto

Ten things to know about federal
income supports for low income seniors in Canada:http://behindthenumbers.ca/2016/08/25/ten-things-to-know-about-federal-income-support-for-low-income-seniors-in-canada/
Prepared by:
Allan Moscovitch, Professor, Carleton University;
Nick Falvo, Director of Research & Data at the Calgary Housing
Foundation; and
David Macdonald, Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives
August 25, 2016
1. The first income-support program for low-income seniors in Canada
was called the Old Age Pension.
2. Over time, income support for seniors became more generous.
3. Initially, Indians who had status under the Indian Act were explicitly
excluded from receiving a pension under the 1927 legislation.
4. In 1951, major changes were made to this program and it became known
as Old Age Security (OAS)
5. With the 1951 changes, members of First Nations were now eligible
for benefits.
6. In the mid-1960s, major changes were made to the OAS.
7. Todays OAS system serves 5.5 million Canadians; its current
annual cost is $35 billion, or about 13% of total spending by Canadas
federal government.
8. With the OAS/GIS system in place, there is substantially less poverty
among seniors than there would be if the system were not in place.
9. Since 2003, the percentage of elderly Canadians in poverty, as measured
by the LIM, has risen back up to almost 10%.
10. Our chapter argues that, if the change in OAS eligibility were to
happen, the percentage of Canadians aged 65 and 66 living in poverty
would increase substantially.

Source:How Ottawa Spendshttp://carleton.ca/sppa/hos/0/
How Ottawa Spends is the annual review of the federal governments spending
and public policy by the Carleton University School of Public Policy and Administration.

NOTE : Starting in 2015, How Ottawa Spends has been
published in digital formats only.
Click the above link to access free and complete annual versions of How Ottawa
Spends going back to 2003-2004, available in Epub, Mobile and PDF versions.
These annual reports are voluminous --- the latest edition comes in at 445 pages...Recommended reading!

One-third of Canadians are working past
retirement age just to make ends meet:http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-may-25-2016-1.3598848/canadian-seniors-still-working-to-make-ends-meet-1.3598884
Anna Maria Tremonti
May 25, 2016
Many Canadians over the age of 65 are finding themselves in situations where
they have no choice but to work  and the number of people in this group
is growing. As jobs with pension plans become scarcer and as a third of over-65
Canadians without them are left with $1000 in retirement savings, working years
are extending into their seventies, eighties and beyond.
(...)
John Stapleton, an innovation fellow and social policy expert specializing in
retirement issues with the Metcalf Foundation, says a lot has changed when it
comes to seniors in the workforce. While Stapleton mentions the bright side
 medical advances allowing people to live longer, healthier lives 
he also notes the climate in which this is happening. "We're looking at
lower savings rates, lower interest rates on those savings too, which mitigate
against savings. We're looking at higher housing costs and of course, one of
the big ones is ... that they have to take care of someone who is very aged."

Ontario Renovating More Than 300 Long-Term
Care Homes;
Province Investing in Renovations to Improve Care and Comfort for Residentshttps://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2016/04/ontario-renovating-more-than-300-long-term-care-homes.htmlNews Release
April 4, 2016
Ontario is investing in long-term care homes to improve the quality of care
and comfort of residents.
Today, Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Dipika Damerla visited
Stouffville's Bloomington Cove Care Community, where more than 30 resident spaces
will be upgraded. This is one of more than 300 long-term care homes that will
be upgraded over the next nine years and are eligible to receive a construction
funding subsidy.

May 4, 2015Long-term Care Facilities Survey, 2013http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150504/dq150504b-eng.htm
For the reference year April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, there were 1,519 long-term
care facilities in Canada serving 149,488 residents. During this time, the industry
generated revenues of $10.9 billion and expenses of $10.8 billion, of which
$7.2 billion were wages and salaries. This corresponded to a profit margin of
$154.2 million or 1.4% of total revenues.

The 2015 Federal Budget: Not a real seniors
budgethttp://nationalseniorsproject.org/2015/04/25/the-2015-federal-budget-not-a-real-seniors-budget/
Posted on April 25, 2015
(...)
Seniors Vote, an initiative of dozens of seniors groups, called for major
movement in the budget on four important issues:
1. Income security, including restoring OAS and GIS to age 65 from 67 and increasing
the Canada Pension Plan.
2. Healthcare reform including increased funding for issues such as homecare
and a national pharmacare plan
3. A national housing strategy for seniors to let them stay in their own homes
or move into purpose built affordable housing.
4. Fighting inequality to assure all citizens, including seniors, can get out
of poverty and their children can have decent jobs, not precarious work.
(...)
And yet there are no major moves on any of these four issues. Instead the Budget
contains four measures which do not signify any major progress on any of the
above key policy areas. So what does the Budget have for seniors?
* First, the budget increased the maximum annual Tax Free Savings Account contribution
from $5500 to $10,000.
* The second major plank for seniors in the budget was the change in the mandatory
rates of withdrawal from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs).
* The third major move touching seniors in the budget is the extension of the
Compassionate Care EI leave from 6 weeks to 6 months.
* Finally, the budget outlined a non-refundable tax credit for seniors and people
with disabilities who undertake home renovation projects.

The plight of low income hardworking seniors (Part Deux.
addendum)By Gilles:
In last week's newsletter, I included a link to a diatribe by social advocate
John Stapleton regarding the confusing and ridiculous rules around the treatment
of income from work received from various sources by people over 65 in receipt
of government financial assistance. However, I neglected to include a link in
that same newsletter to a March 29 article in the Toronto Star with more detailed
information.

February 25, 2015 Study: Senior care: Differences by type of housing, 2012http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150225/dq150225a-eng.htm
In 2012, 5.4 million Canadians provided care to a senior family member or friend.
This care was most often provided to a senior living in their own private residence,
though the intensity of care was highest for caregivers who lived with their
care recipient.

---

December 18, 2014 Study: New facts on pension coverage in Canada, 2012http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/141218/dq141218b-eng.htm
In 2012, one-third of employed women and one-quarter of employed men aged 25
to 54 were covered by a defined benefit (DB) pension plan. Women had higher
coverage rates mostly because they were more likely than men to be employed
in sectors with higher rates of pension coverage. These
sectors included educational services, health care and social assistance, and
public administration, which, in 2012, employed 42% of women and 17% of men.
The finding is part of a new study that sheds light on
the relationship between the type of pension coverage and the individual characteristics
of employed people. It is based on recently released data from the Longitudinal
and International Study of Adults.

Strengthening Province's Retirement System
New Legislation Would Help Ontarians Save for Retirementhttp://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2014/12/strengthening-provinces-retirement-system.html
News Release
December 8, 2014
The province is taking an important step to strengthen its retirement income
system and ensure Ontarians are better able to enjoy their retirement years,
with the introduction of legislation that would, if passed, help people save
for retirement. This afternoon, the province will introduce
the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2014: http://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2014/12/ontario-retirement-pension-plan-act-2014.html
The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2014 would, if passed, lay out a framework
for the creation of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) and commit the
government to establishing the plan by January 1, 2017, helping to address the
undersavings problem.

Ontario Retirement Savings Plan: Liberals
Introduce Bill To Create Provincial Pension Planhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/08/ontario-retirement-savings-plan-liberals-wynne_n_6288596.html
By Keith Leslie
December 8, 2014
TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government introduced legislation Monday to create
a mandatory provincial pension plan, which the Opposition and business groups
slammed as a job-killing payroll tax. The bill clears the way for the introduction
on Jan. 1, 2017, of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, which will be mandatory
for workers who do not already have a company pension plan, said Finance Minister
Charles Sousa.
(...)
The bill would require employers and employees to each contribute 1.9 per cent
of a worker's salary to the ORPP, up to $1,643 a year, which the Ontario Chamber
of Commerce warned will result in fewer jobs.

October 3, 2014Study: End-of-life care, 2012http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/141003/dq141003c-eng.htm
In 2012, 13% of Canadians (3.7 million) aged 15 and older reported providing
end-of-life or palliative care to a family member or friend at some point in
their lives. These caregivers helped the terminally ill with such tasks as personal
or medical care, preparing meals, managing finances or providing transportation
to and from medical appointments.

TIP : Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to the following related
analytical products on caregiving and care receiving: * Young Canadians providing care
* Canadians with unmet home care needs
* Receiving care at home
* Family caregiving: What are the consequences?
* Portrait of Caregivers, 2012

This report is a comprehensive information resource highlighting federal programs
and services that can be accessed by seniors, their families, and caregivers
ranging from help to combat elder abuse to government support such as ensuring
seniors' financial security.
* Implement changes to income security programs to reflect the modern reality
of how Canadians choose to live, work and retire
* Introduce new, and support ongoing programs that help seniors continue to
be active members of their communities, through paid or volunteer work
* Support initiatives that help seniors remain in their homes as long as possible
* Invest in research and programs that support and promote good health while
aging
* Undertake activities to raise awareness of elder abuse and help prevent it

September 9, 2014 Study: Canadians with unmet home care needs, 2012http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140909/dq140909a-eng.htmIn 2012, 792,000 Canadians 15 years of age and older reported that their
needs for care in the home for a long-term illness, aging or disability condition
were only partly met or not met at all.

Financial literacy leader focuses on seniors: Canada's
new financial literacy leader, Jane Rooney, wants to build seniors' money skills
in the first phase of developing a national strategy.http://www.thestar.com/business/personal_finance/2014/07/06/financial_literacy_leader_focuses_on_seniors_roseman.html
By Ellen Roseman
July 6, 2014
(...)
...by April 2016, the federal government will stop mailing cheques and switch
to a direct deposit system. Old age pensions, tax refunds and childrens
benefits will be transferred electronically to your bank account. With the transition
deadline less than two years away, Ottawa is pushing everyone to sign up for
direct deposit.
(...)
Direct deposit could pose a problem for low-income seniors who rely on government
payments to live on, says advocate John Stapleton.
Banks still have black lists and wont allow some people to have
accounts, especially if they have defaulted and not paid on a bank product,
he says.
Some of our very poorest and disenfranchised seniors are going to be further
victimized. So cruel.

Why the outgoing chair of Public Health
Ontario is fighting for national home-care standardshttp://www.thestar.com/news/ken_dryden_canada_day/2014/06/30/why_this_man_is_fighting_for_national_homecare_standards.html
By Theresa Boyle
June 30, 2014
Health policy professor Terry Sullivan, outgoing chair of Public Health Ontario,
seeks to reduce inequities in publicly funded home and community care across
Canada.
The University of Toronto professor's vision is for a "common, federally
supported guarantee" for home care and community care services.
(...)
This would help reduce disparities that see some Canadians getting more publicly
funded care than others, that result in some family caregivers facing greater
pressure than others, and that force some Canadians dip into their pocketbooks
more than others to supplement what is publicly covered.
A national strategy would also address funding shortfalls.

June 13, 2014Study: Receiving care at home, 2012http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140613/dq140613c-eng.htm
In 2012, about 2.2 million Canadians with a long-term illness, disability or
aging needs had received care in their own home in the last 12 months. This
represented 8% of all Canadians aged 15 years or older. A new study using data
from the 2012 General Social Survey found that the proportion of Canadians receiving
care was similar across the country. The only exceptions were Newfoundland and
Labrador, where the proportion was higher at 9%, and Alberta, where it was lower
at 5%.

This release is based on the analytical paper Receiving
care at home [ http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=89-652-X2014002&lang=eng
]. The report uses data from the 2012 General Social Survey on Caregiving and
Care Receiving to examine Canadians who rely on care in the home, including
the reason for care, the types of people providing help and the nature and intensity
of care. It also looks at the satisfaction with the care received.

June 10, 2014Employer pension plans (trusteed pension funds), fourth quarter 2013http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140610/dq140610a-eng.htm
The market value of Canadian employer-sponsored pension funds totalled $1.3
trillion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2013, up 5.8% from the third quarter.
Pension fund investments in stocks grew 9.4% in the fourth quarter, surpassing
the 6.4% gain in the value of shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange for the same
period. The value of bond holdings increased 3.6%, while investments in real
estate assets grew 3.3%.

A National Strategy on Aging in Canada?
(New Democratic Party of Canada)

Seniors Can't Age With Dignity Under the
Conservative Planhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/irene-mathyssen-mp/canada-aging-population_b_5454152.html
By Irene Mathyssen, MP (NDP) for London-FanshaweJune 5, 2014
[As NDP Seniors Critic] I have been talking to seniors and seniors' organizations
for the past few years, listening to what they have to say and learning what
needs to be done. With that information I worked with my colleagues to build
a National Aging Strategy. I am proud to say that strategy was released to a
round table of stakeholders on June 3.

Our plan highlights the need for high-quality,
accessible public health care. This is critical for seniors managing the demands
of aging -- often coping with multiple and chronic health challenges. Our growing
seniors population needs a proactive approach to their health care -- one that
will also ease the upward pressure on health care costs.

Conservatives have failed Seniors:
NDP MPs host round table to release National Strategy on Aginghttp://www.ndp.ca/news/conservatives-have-failed-seniors
June 3, 2014
OTTAWA  Tired by lack of action from the Conservatives since 2006, Canadas
Official Opposition New Democrats undertook extensive consultations with seniors
and stakeholders to build a National Aging Strategy. Today, that strategy was
released to a round table of stakeholders.

No piece of cake! Linda Chamberlain applies
for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)http://openpolicyontario.com/blog-2/
May 16, 2014
By John Stapleton
After several years of speaking, counselling and writing about retiring on
a low income [ http://openpolicyontario.com/retiring-on-a-low-income-3/
], John Stapleton thought it would be a breeze to help his friend Linda Chamberlain
to apply for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), an income-tested
top-up to the Old Age Security pension. Follow John and Linda's zany adventures
in their dealings with the federal bureacrazy.To be continued...

* Tables of Amounts for Old Age Security, Guaranteed
Income Supplement and the Allowances are updated quarterly and list
the benefit entitlements according to income level and marital status.

* Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Statistical
Bulletin - a monthly publication that provides detailed information
such as the number of benefits in pay, the amounts paid, and the distribution
of various benefits by age and sex.

* Canada Pension Plan Contributors Tables -
released annually and provide historical statistics on the number of
contributors by places of residence and the distribution of contributors
by earnings. Although the release is annual, the data are two years
in arrears. This is due to ongoing updates of the Canada Revenue Agency
T4 files prior to issuing.

* Canada Pension Plan Maximum Monthly Amounts of
New Benefits - includes maximum monthly amounts for new CPP benefits
from 1967 to date.

* Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits by Class
of Diagnosis includes distribution of beneficiaries by age group
updated on an annual basis. This annually updated table represents beneficiaries
in pay as of December of each year.

* CPP and OAS Annual Statistics Tables contain
historical data on CPP and OAS, average monthly benefits and net payments
in fiscal years.

* Number and Amount of Benefits Paid Outside Canada
to Countries with which Canada has concluded a Social Security Agreement
to people who have lived or worked in another country.

February 24, 2014Study: Emerging trends in living arrangements and conjugal unions for
current and future seniors, 1981 to 2011http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140224/dq140224a-eng.htm
Between 1981 and 2011, the share of seniors 65 years of age and older who lived
with their spouse or partner increased, while the overall share of those in
other living arrangements decreased. The conjugal lives of seniors also changed,
as the proportion of those who were divorced or separated rose from 4% to 12%
over the period.

When good advice goes badhttp://imagineacity.ca/2013/11/22/when-good-advice-goes-bad/
November 22, 2013
By Adrienne Clarke
This week, Imagine a City is joined by guest blogger John Stapleton, founder
of Open Policy Ontario [ http://openpolicyontario.com/
] and a fellow with the Metcalf Foundation [ http://metcalffoundation.com/
] . He has some much-needed financial advice for low-income earners, just in
time for Financial Literacy Month. Here, he provides a rundown of what low-income
earners really need to know, and how the financial-services industry can serve
them better.
---Excerpt:
When assisting low-income people, for instance, many advisors will tell them
to max out their RRSPs, forget about Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs), and
wait until 65 or later to sign up for Canada Pension. Theyll also be advised
to look closely at their taxes to capitalize on tax credits.This is the same
advice given (rightfully) to middle- and high-income earners, but for people
making ends meet on lower incomes, its exactly wrong.

Taxman won't go back to routinely mailing
income tax forms: ministerhttp://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/taxman-wont-go-back-to-routinely-mailing-income-tax-forms-minister/
January 31, 2013OTTAWA - A major seniors' group called on the government
Thursday to return to routinely mailing income tax forms but the minister in
charge she doesn't plan to take that step. National Revenue
Minister Gail Shea brushed off concerns raised by the opposition and a seniors'
group that the new system isn't fair. "The way that Canadians file their
taxes is changing and we are changing to meet those needs," Shea said.

Physical forms can still be picked up at post
offices and Service Canada centres, or requested over the phone. But the decision
to abandon the proactive mailings forces the millions who filed on paper last
year to scramble to get a form, said Susan Eng, vice president of advocacy for
CARP, an organization representing people over 50.
The organization wrote a formal protest letter to the minister on Thursday.

More than eight million Canadians filed on paper
last year, she said.

---

From CARP, two articles about the
Harper Government decision to
eliminate the paper income tax form:

Seniors forced to get tax forms from the
post office receiving poor servicehttp://www.carp.ca/2013/02/08/seniors-forced-to-get-tax-forms-from-the-post-office-receiving-poor-service/
EditorialFebruary 8, 2013
As predicted, the CRAs sudden and ill-advised shift in tax-form policy
has created issues for everyone involved  but seniors and those who are
mobility-challenged seem to be getting the worse of it. CARP recently issued
an open-letter to Minister of Revenue Gail Shea, requesting the CRA reverse
the decision and mail out tax form to those who submitted by mail last year
as well as accommodate those who used the Telefile service  now also defunct.
The Minister refused to consider CARPs proposal saying that the
way Canadians file their taxes is changing and we are changing to meet those
needs 
---
By John Stapleton:
Yesterday, I did a tour of local postal outlets and found all of the small
ones to be out of the tax package  some had copies of the guide still
available. Handmade signs ask people to come back on February 15th
When I went to the large post office in the Atrium at Dundas and Yonge [ in
Toronto], I witnessed a scene that has doubtless been repeated over and again.
An elderly gentleman with a decided limp lined up in front of me and asked for
the tax forms that had been (now) brought behind the counter.
He said he needed one for himself and his wife.
Sorry the clerk said Only one per customer.
The man said he needed one for his wife and he had a hard time getting around.
Sorry  I told you  one per customer (...)
---
This story perfectly illustrates the additional anxiety and grief the CRA is
causing some seniors in the middle of the tax-season without warning. The Minister
says the CRA is trying to better serve Canadians  are people who cannot
file online not also Canadians? Then why should they be mistreated while trying
to fulfill their civic duties?

Source:
CARP http://www.carp.ca/
CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to a New
Vision of Aging for Canada promoting social change that will bring financial
security, equitable access to health care and freedom from discrimination.

Facts and Figures on Healthy Ageing and
Long-term Care
Europe and North America (PDF - 11.5MB, 122 pages)http://www.euro.centre.org/data/LTC_Final.pdfEditors : Ricardo Rodrigues / Manfred Huber / Giovanni Lamura December 2012The 2nd edition of the Facts and Figures on Healthy Ageing
and Long-term Care provides information on the ageing phenomenon across the
UNECE region.
It covers data and information on demography, social situation of older people,
health, informal care, migrant care workers, public long-term care policies
and expenditure for the countries of the UNECE. It is
meant as a tool to inform policy debate and inform decision-making by policy-makers.
It provides easily accessible information on data and facts for academic experts
and researchers to aid comparative analysis of healthy ageing and long-term
care. It hopes to foster debate and raise awareness of the differences in ageing
across the UNECE region and what they entail for citizens.

How RRSP payments can help seniors with
benefitshttp://goo.gl/xdkS2
By Preet Banerjee
Posted February 24, 2012
Updated September 10, 2012
Theres been a lot of talk about changes to the Old Age Security program
lately, but the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) deserves a lot more attention.
For low-income seniors, it could amount to almost $9,000 a year, but a general
lack of knowledge in financial planning is leading some people to effectively
turn it down.

GIS is a benefit received on top of OAS for seniors
whose incomes are below $16,368 (single person). But just as OAS is subject
to clawback over a certain threshold, so is GIS. The big difference is that
GIS is more aggressively clawed back from people who arguably need it more.
The OAS clawback begins once your income has reached close to $70,000 and is
clawed back at a rate of 15 cents per dollar. GIS, on the other hand, is clawed
back at a rate of 50 cents on the dollar for every dollar of income above $3,500.

This has led to the (not quite yet) conventional
wisdom that the Tax Free Savings Account might be a better savings vehicle for
low-income seniors. Well, its a bit more complicated than just that. Its
true that an RRSP or RRIF withdrawal made if you are eligible for GIS could
effectively be taxed at around 70 per cent since you have to pay your marginal
tax rate on the withdrawal and it can reduce your GIS payment by 50 cents per
dollar. Its also true that had that withdrawal come from a TFSA, the effective
tax rate is zero, since the withdrawal does not affect income-tested benefits.
But theres sort of an alternate universe that exists for lower-income
seniors between 65 and 71, says John Stapleton, a social policy consultant.

Remember that an RRSP contribution is an income
deduction, so when you make a contribution, your income is lowered. Someone
who is 65 and whose income is above $16,368 can reduce that income below the
threshold by making an RRSP contribution. All of a sudden, that GIS tap is open.

So yes, while the TFSA can be a better savings
vehicle for many lower-income Canadians, you cant just assume that will
always be the case. You need to plan it out. Unfortunately, when I counsel people
on this strategy I find that when they bring it to their bank, they get faced
with a lot of blank stares, Mr. Stapleton says.

Low Income Retirement Planning in Canada:
living in a different worldhttp://vibrantcanada.ca/blogs/john-stapleton/low-income-retirement-planning-canada-living-different-world
By John Stapleton
September 5, 2012
(...) For most people nearing retirement, the financial advice we get is based
on two simple premises:
1. That our post-retirement income will be less than our pre-retirement income;
and
2. That our taxable income will be lower at 65.
(...) [However,] for those on fixed incomes before age 65...the reality is that
most low income seniors receive higher incomes when they turn 65. Old Age Security,
combined with CPP and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, is often significantly
higher than the social assistance, disability benefits, and low earnings they
realize in the years leading up to age 65. And Old Age Security and CPP are
taxable while social assistance and some disability benefits are not. This situation
results in higher taxation once they reach 65, not lower.
(...) The document Planning for Retirement on a Low Income provides
low income retirees and their advisors with the information and the tools they
need to make the right decisions for their financial future:
* When to take CPP early retirement
* When to avoid an RRSP
* When to buy a TFSA
* When to buy an RRSP

Source of this article:
Vibrantcanada.ca - Vibrant Communities Canadahttp://vibrantcanada.ca/
Vibrantcanada.ca is a learning community of members, from diverse sectors, multi-sector
roundtables, who share a common interest in reducing poverty, community engagement
and collaboration. It is made up of individuals who are united in our desire
to see one million people move beyond poverty all across Canada.

---

Low income seniors income tax shock
http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1231097
By James Daw
July 29, 2012
This article is a case profile of a low-income senior, age 66, seeking advice
about how to maximize a modest RRSP, while having minimal impact on her Guaranteed
Income Supplement benefits. "Adeline" will have an income of $20,000
this year, including $2,927 from Ottawas Guaranteed Income Supplement
(GIS). She was surprised to discover she would receive no GIS payments for the
second half of the year, after she reported a one-time gain on the sale of some
property on her 2011 tax return. Now she is worried she will lose more GIS payments
once she starts to withdraw money from her modest $30,000 RRSP (registered retirement
savings plan).Source of the above article:
Moneyvillehttp://www.moneyville.ca/
--- Moneyville is a subsite of the
Toronto Star:http://www.thestar.com/

Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE):http://www.advocacycentreelderly.org/
The Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE) in Toronto is a specialty community
legal clinic that was established to provide a range of legal services to low-income
seniors in Ontario. The legal services include advice and representation to
individual and group clients, public legal education, law reform and community
development activities. ACE has been operating since 1984. ACE is funded through
Legal Aid Ontario [ http://www.legalaid.on.ca/
] and is the first legal clinic in Canada to specialize in the legal problems
of seniors.

---NOTE : Even if you're not from Ontario, I highly recommend checking out this
excellent collection of online resources!
If you have a loved one who's advancing in age and you're
looking for a reliable source of legal information in one of the areas below,
click through some of the links on the home page to get a legal perspective
on the range of services for the elderly in Ontario.
---

Contents of this newsletter:
* Old Age Security : What Do The Proposed Changes Mean For Low-Income Adults?
* ACE Profiles: Dr. Samir K. Sinha  Newly Appointed Expert Lead For Ontarios
Seniors Care Strategy
* Information You Should Know If You Live In A Retirement Home
* Searching The Consumer Beware List
* Long-Term Care Home Task Force On Resident Care And Safety Releases Action
Plan
* Ten Months In The Life Of An Articling Student At ACE
* Tips And Traps When Dealing With Long-Term Care
* News and Announcements

May 25, 2012Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2011http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/120525/dq120525a-eng.htm
Membership in registered pension plans (RPPs) in Canada amounted to 6,065,750
in 2010, an increase of 42,000 or 0.7% from 2009. Membership increased in public
sector plans, but declined in private sector plans. Membership in public sector
pension plans rose 1.8% to 3,140,970, while the number of members in private
sector plans declined 0.5% to 2,924,790. As a result, the public sector accounted
for 52% of total membership in RPPs, up from 46% a decade earlier. In the early
1980s, membership in the private sector represented almost 60% of total members.
Women accounted for three-quarters of the increase in RPP membership. In 2010,
they represented 62% of membership in the public sector and 37% in the private
sector.
- includes one chart and one table : Registered pension plan membership, by
sector and type of plan

Old Age Insecurity?
(PDF - 128K, 29 pages)http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/983ENG.pdf
By Ken Battle, Sherri Torjman and Michael Mendelson
February 2012
The controversy over raising the age of entitlement for Old Age Security from
65 to 67 is taking attention away from alternative possible reforms of that
vital program, and of Canadas pension system generally. The allegation
that Old Age Security will be unsustainable in future is more a political than
a policy judgement, and the substantive evidence does not support it.

How RRSP payments can help seniors with benefitshttp://goo.gl/NxxTu
February 24, 2012
By Preet Banerjee
Theres been a lot of talk about changes to the Old Age Security program
lately, but the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) deserves a lot more attention.
For low-income seniors, it could amount to almost $9,000 a year, but a general
lack of knowledge in financial planning is leading some people to effectively
turn it down.
Tax Free Savings Account might be a better savings vehicle for low-income seniors.
Well, its a bit more complicated than just that. Its true that an
RRSP or RRIF withdrawal made if you are eligible for GIS could effectively be
taxed at around 70 per cent since you have to pay your marginal tax rate on
the withdrawal and it can reduce your GIS payment by 50 cents per dollar. Its
also true that had that withdrawal come from a TFSA, the effective tax rate
is zero, since the withdrawal does not affect income-tested benefits. But
theres sort of an alternate universe that exists for lower-income seniors
between 65 and 71, says social policy consultant John Stapleton. (...)
while the TFSA can be a better savings vehicle for many lower-income Canadians,
you cant just assume that will always be the case. You need to plan it
out.Source:
Globe and Mailhttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Old Age Security changes ahead?
February 4, 2012

For links to information on reforms to Canadian retirement
pensions
(Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, etc.) - notably the recent proposal
to raise the age of eligibility from 65 to 67 - see the Retirement Pension Reforms
page of this site: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm

PDF version (231K, 14 pages)http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2012001/article/11618-eng.pdf
This article uses census data to address several questions related to Canadian
residents who previously emigrated to other countries: Do seniors account for
a large proportion of returned emigrants? From where do older emigrants return?
Do the characteristics of older returned emigrants differ from those of older
Canadians who did not live abroad? Do the amounts and sources of income received
in old age differ between these groups? How do all these results differ for
Canadian-born versus immigrant returnees?

Source:Perspectives on Labour and Income - product main page*http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=75-001-X&lang=eng
This publication brings together and analyzes a wide range of labour and income
data. Topics include youth in the labour market, pensions and retirement, work
arrangements, education and training, and trends in family income.
[ * On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue
of this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues.
]

This article examines various issues related to seniors
access to transportation and to a vehicle. The first part focuses on determining
which seniors have a drivers licence and drive a car, including those
with the weakest visual, auditory, motor and cognitive faculties. The second
part of the article describes seniors main forms of transportation other
than driving a car. The last part examines the impact of seniors main
form of transportation on their level of social participation.

Source:Canadian
Social Trends - Product main page*
This publication discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting
the lives of Canadians
[ * Click "View" for the latest issue of this periodical;
click "Chronological index" for earlier editions. ]

Source:The
Income Management Strategies of Older Couples in Canada - main product
page*
In this study, the income management strategies of Canadian couples are examined
using data from the 2007 General Social Survey. The extent to which "older"
couples, in which at least one spouse or partner is aged 45 or older, employ
an allocative, pooled, or separate strategy is explored. Results show that the
income management strategies used by these couples are correlated with relationship
characteristics, such as common-law status, duration of relationship, and the
presence of children. As well, the likelihood of using a separate approach is
positively correlated with levels of educational attainment and with the amount
of income received by wives or female partners.
---
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue
of this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues
of Analytical Studies Branch papers.

---

Study:
How personal bankruptcy affects retirement plans, 2007April 2011
According to the 2007 General Social Survey, almost 8% of non-retired Canadians
aged 45 to 64, or more than 480,000 people, had experienced at least one bankruptcy
during their adulthood. On average, they were 40 years old at the time. Those
who had experienced bankruptcy had lower levels of education and were more likely
to have a history of changing jobs more frequently than those who had no history
of bankruptcy.

Source:Canadian
Social Trends - Product main page*
This publication discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting
the lives of Canadians
[ * Click "View" for the latest issue of this periodical;
click "Chronological index" for earlier editions. ] 't
on the Institute's site as at 4pm April 29.
Check their website to see if the new link is posted...

The
Remaining Light - A CCPA documentary film about how we care for seniors
February 8, 2011
Announcing the release of our first documentary film!
The Remaining Light journeys through an often invisible part of Canada's health
care system -- the community-based services that provide care to seniors as
they age and die. The film features the stories of seniors and their families,
and explores themes of dignity, preventing illness and social isolation, and
keeping health care costs under control as the boomer generation ages.

The Remaining Light is set in British Columbia, where
the province's Ombudsperson is carrying out an investigation into a fragmented
and underfunded system of seniors care. But the film's themes and stories will
resonate with people across Canada who worry that we are not providing seniors
with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Source:Task
Force on Financial Literacy in Canada
In the 2009 budget, the Minister of Finance announced his intention to establish
a national task force dedicated to the issue of financial literacy. Appointed
in June 2009, the Task Force on Financial Literacy is comprised of 13 members,
drawn from the business and education sectors, community organizations and academia.
- incl. links to : * Home * About the Task Force * Report of the Task Force
* Consulting with Canadians* Media * Contact Us * Links

-------------------------

Related articles
in the media:

Ottawa must honour
millions in unclaimed pension benefits
February 11, 2011
When Canadians are neglecting to collect benefits to which they are entitled,
governments should take that as a sign that there is a financial literacy gap
and make an effort to close it. That means they should be doing more to contact
the 150,000 people who qualify for, but are not receiving, the Guaranteed Income
Supplement, which is only available to the lowestincome seniors. They need to
find out why another 160,000 eligible seniors are not collecting their Old Age
Security benefits.
Source:Vancouver Sun

---

Evidence
of financial illiteracy?
Thousands fail to collect government benefitsBy Jonathan Chevreau
February 9, 2011
After 18 months, the Task Force on Financial Literacy has delivered a 106-page
report (86 if you dont count appendixes) to federal Finance Minister Jim
Flaherty. (...) There are 30 main recommendations, beginning with the call to
appoint a national Financial Literacy Leader reporting to Mr. Flaherty. It wants
to make financial literacy an essential skill in the governments
Essential Skills Framework and wants all the provinces and school boards to
jump aboard. (...) It also urges the creation of a single source website
for financial literacy and recommends that financial firms and regulators
intensify their efforts to combat fraud. (...)Low take-up of government benefitsThe report shows some interesting stats on the need for financial literacy
when it comes to taking up government benefits. It says 160,000 eligible seniors
dont get Old Age Security ($1 billion worth); 150,000 dont get the
Guaranteed Income Supplement, and 55,000 arent getting the Canada Pension
Plan. Also, the take up for the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) is just
40% while the median RRSP contribution represents only 6% of total eligible
room. Thats my definition of being financially illiterate  failing
to take free money when its available.
Source:Financial Post

---

Billions in government benefits
unclaimed by Canadians: task force(dead link)
By Andrew Duffy
February 9, 2011
Billions of dollars worth of government benefits are going unclaimed by Canadians,
according to a federal task force on financial literacy. The task force, which
reported Wednesday, said the government should simplify its programs and application
forms to ensure more Canadians benefit from the financial support to which they're
entitled. (...) A research report prepared for the task force examined why some
government programs have such poor "take-up" rates. Those rates are
considered an important measure of financial literacy. The report concluded
that language and poverty often present barriers, particularly when the programs
or application forms are complex. "Lower-income Canadians face distinct
financial literacy challenges in being aware of and accessing the very government
programs that are targeted to them," concluded researcher Richard Shillington.
Source:Vancouver Sun

Study:
How personal bankruptcy affects retirement plans, 2007April 2011
According to the 2007 General Social Survey, almost 8% of non-retired Canadians
aged 45 to 64, or more than 480,000 people, had experienced at least one bankruptcy
during their adulthood. On average, they were 40 years old at the time. Those
who had experienced bankruptcy had lower levels of education and were more likely
to have a history of changing jobs more frequently than those who had no history
of bankruptcy.

Study:
Retirement, health and employment among older Canadians, 2009
Older workers end their employment careers in different ways and for a variety
of reasons. Many stay on the job past the point when others retire; others opt
for partial retirement, while some who have retired subsequently re-enter the
workforce. And, of course, many will fully retire from the world of work. Using
data from the 2009 Healthy Aging cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey,
this study examined Canadians age 55 and over who had fully retired, those who
had partially retired, those who had retired and returned to work, and those
who had never retired. Each of the four groups faces different circumstances.

2. Seniors' self-employment
A substantial proportion of working seniors are self-employed. This article
uses census data to study self-employment among senior men and women. Trends
in self-employment rates and categories are presented, along with occupational
and industrial profiles. In addition, 2006 data are used to study factors associated
with self-employment.

Full article:
* HTML
* PDF
(272K, 14 pages)
Abstract: A substantial proportion of working seniors are self-employed. This
article uses census data to study self-employment among senior men and women.
Trends in self-employment rates and categories are presented, along with occupational
and industrial profiles. In addition, 2006 data are used to study factors associated
with self-employment.

---

Source:Perspectives
on Labour and Income - product main page*
This publication brings together and analyzes a wide range of labour and income
data. Topics include youth in the labour market, pensions and retirement, work
arrangements, education and training, and trends in family income.
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue of
this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues

November 12, 2010
Pension Satellite Account, 2009
After a steep decline in 2008, the total value of pension assets rebounded in
2009 to $2.1 trillion at year end, reflecting the strong performance of global
equity markets that began in March 2009. This rebound (+15.5%) brought pension
assets close to their 2007 level. The recovery in wealth accumulation during
2009 was relatively evenly distributed across the three pension tiers. Individual
registered saving plans led the way, up 20.5% to $750.9 billion. Social security
and employer-based pension plans were up 13.3% and 12.8%, respectively.

Related link:

Guide
to the Canadian Pension Satellite Account[Use the links in the left margin to navigate this report,
or download the PDF
version - 153K, 19 pages)
This guide presents an overview of the scope and structure of the Pension Satellite
Account as well as the methodology used to derive its stocks and flows estimates.

Are
you affected by the changes being made to the
Canada Pension Plan retirement pension starting January 2011?These changes will affect you if you are:
* an employee who contributes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), whether you
are just starting your career or you are planning to retire soon;
* a self-employed person who contributes to the CPP;
* between the ages of 60 and 70 and you work while receiving your CPP retirement
pension; or
* an employer who contributes to the CPP on behalf of your employees.
You will not be affected by these changes if you started receiving a CPP retirement
pension before December 31, 2010, and you stay out of the work force.
Click the link above to see how the upcoming changes can affect YOUR retirement
pension.

Atlas
of productive ageing
20 September 2010
The Atlas provides statistics on the population, health, finance, housing and
activity of older Australians. The data are available by state and regional
areas.
Source:Australian Policy Online (APO)
APO is a news service and library specialising in Australian public policy reports
and articles from academic research centres, think tanks, government and non-government
organisations

Canadians
support increase in Canada Pension Plan benefits
October 15, 2010
More than three quarters of Canadians support increasing Canada Pension Plan
benefits, according to a new national survey released today. Eighty percent
of Canadians also support increasing federal payments to senior citizens and
half of the survey respondents believe the government is moving too slow in
reforming Canadas pension system. The Future of Pensions
poll was completed by Environics Research
Group in late August for the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the
Public Service Alliance of Canada. It surveyed 2,020 Canadians and has a
margin of error of +/-2.2 per cent 19 times out of 20. (...) The
survey asked Canadians their views on saving and their expectations for retirement.
While many Canadians have set up a Retirement Savings Plan or a Tax-Free Savings
Account, four in 10 acknowledge that they are not saving for retirementmostly
because they cannot afford to. (...) Poll respondents also overwhelmingly support
increasing Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplements for those living
below the poverty line. OAS and GIS payments amount to only $11,000 per year.

May 25, 2010Pension
plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2009
Membership in registered pension plans (RPPs) increased 1.7% in 2008 to just
over 6.0 million, the first time the number of active participants has surpassed
that level. The number of registered pension plans as of January 1, 2009 remained
virtually unchanged at 19,200.
- incl. table: Registered pension plan membership by sector and type of plan.

March 26, 2010Participation
in private retirement savings plans, 2008
Just over 8.9 million employed Canadian tax filers participated in a private
retirement savings plan in 2008, about 50% of all tax filers. This proportion
was down from 54% in 1997. There was a decrease in the share of employed tax
filers who contributed to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) during
the decade. In 1997, 41% of employed tax filers participated in an RRSP; by
2008, this proportion had declined to 34%.

Public consultation on ensuring the ongoing
strength of Canada's retirement income system
March 24 - May 14, 2010

Ensuring
the Ongoing Strength
of Canada’s Retirement Income System*
- provides background information on Canada's retirement income system;
- provides an overview of research on retirement income adequacy;
- describes a variety of proposals in the public domain relating to Canada's
retirement income system; and
- solicits views of Canadians on Canada's retirement income system and how to
ensure its ongoing strength.

* NOTE: Recommended reading
- includes over a dozen links to related and contextual information in areas
such as:
- Canada's Government Supported Retirement Income System
- Research on Retirement Income Adequacy
- Considerations for Evaluating Retirement Income System Issues
- Range of Proposals in the Public Domain
- Summary of Questions

This public consultation took place from March 24 to May
14, 2010.

Related link:

News Release
March 24, 2010
The federal government today announced the launch of online consultations and
a series of cross-country roundtable discussions, speaking engagements and town
hall meetings to gather input from Canadians on ensuring the ongoing strength
of Canada’s retirement income system. The consultations will inform discussions
at the next meeting of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance
in May, where the retirement income system will be a key agenda item.Source:Department of Finance Canada

* World Population
Ageing 2009(PDF - 894K, 82 pages) - February 2010
This report provides a description of global trends in population
ageing and includes a series of indicators of the ageing process by
development regions, major areas, regions and countries. This new
edition includes new features on ageing in rural and urban areas, the
coverage of pension systems and the impact of the 2007-2008 financial
crisis on pension systems. The report is intended to provide a solid
demographic foundation for the follow-up activities of the Second World
Assembly on Ageing.

Source:United Nations Department
of Economic and Social Affairs - DESA
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides support
services to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal
body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations
and its operational arms.

[ UN Economic and Social
Council - ECOSOC
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ
to coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies,
functional commissions and five regional commissions.]

Want to send an email message to your federal or
provincial elected officials?
Click the link above to access the complete list of federal Members of
Parliament by name, by province/territory or by riding.
Click "Switch to Provincial Representatives (MPP's)" near the bottom of
that page for the complete list of provincial/territorial elected
officials.
Clicking on the name of an MP or an MPP opens a new page with a form
that's pre-addressed from you to that individual and a text box where
you can record your message.
Then hit the SEND button and your email is on its way.
Simple.
Powerful.NOTE: the blurb on the CARP E-VOICE
page suggests that you can use CARP E-VOICE to support CARP
initiatives, but I'm sure the nice folks at CARP wouldn't mind if
Canadian social justice groups used this excellent tool for
communicating with their elected officials...
Source:CARP

Old
Age Security system needs strengthening: reportPress Release
November 25, 2009
OTTAWA—Canada’s Old Age Security system needs improvement in order to
help ensure the economic security and dignity of Canadians in
retirement, says a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for
Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The report, by pension expert and CCPA
Research Associate Monica Townson, reviews OAS and its associated
programs of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Allowance
and discusses measures that could be taken to strengthen this part of
Canada’s pension system.

Source:Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives (CCPA)
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent,
non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and
economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading
progressive voices in public policy debates.

Also from CCPA:

Pension
system needs urgent attention: reportPress Release
October 8, 2009
OTTAWA— Canada’s pension system needs urgent attention, says a new
report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
(CCPA). The report, by CCPA Research Associate and pension expert
Monica Townson, outlines some of the problems with Canada’s pension
system and examines some of the options that have been proposed to deal
with them.

Minister of Finance
Modernizes Federal Pension FrameworkOctober 27, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released an
important reform plan for the federal private pension legislative and
regulatory framework. (...) Today’s announcement comes out of extensive
consultations with Canadians, beginning with the January release of a
discussion paper, Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory
Framework for Private Pension Plans Subject to the Pension Benefits
Standards Act, 1985, and including online consultations. (...)
The package includes measures to:
* Enhance protections for plan members.
* Reduce funding volatility for defined benefit plans.
* Make it easier for participants to negotiate changes to their pension
arrangements.
* Improve the framework for defined contribution plans and for
negotiated contribution plans.
* Modernize the rules for investments made by pension funds.

Retirement Lost (seven-part series - October 16-24,
2009)Canada's retirement dreams are under siege, weakened by underfunding
and hobbled by the global recession.
It's a national crisis with no easy answers.

*
Part one: The crisis
--- Retirement dreams under siege
By Jacquie McNish
October 16, 2009
- incl. links to: * Article * Video * Photos * Pension scenarios * Comments
(198)What you need to know:
--- 84% of public service workers have pensions.
--- 78% of these plans are gold plated defined benefit pensions
--- 25% of private sector workers have a pension plan
--- 16% of these plans are gold plated defined benefit pensions
--- 11 million workers, or 60 per cent, of Canada’s workers have
no pension at all
--- 8 million or 45 per cent, have no pensions or registered retirement
savings plans (RRSPs)

* Part
Two: Manufacturing's wreckage
--- Bankrupt companies, pension promises destroyedBy Greg Keenan
October 18, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions (recommended by Gilles!) *
Comments (124)What you need to know:
--- 17.6 million: Number of people in the Canadian work force.
--- 11 million: Number of Canadian workers without pension plans.
--- 4 million: Number of those workers with registered retirement savings
plans.
--- 10,000: Number of pension plans in Canada.
---- 4.5 million: Workers with pension plans who have defined benefit
plans that guarantee the pension income of retirees until they die.
--- 55 per cent: Amount of those plans held by public sector employees.
--- $25,000: Average pension per year.

* Part
three: Death of the traditional plan
--- Hybrid pension plans: a hard sell By Janet McFarland
October 19, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions
* Comments (36)
As companies weigh alternatives for the future, a crucial choice comes
down to a pair of innocuously simple-looking bits of shorthand: Will
the future be DB (Defined Benefit) or DC (Defined Contribution)? Traditional
pension plans are DB, defined benefit. A retiree covered by the plan
is guaranteed a given level of income. If the plan falls short, the
employer is on the hook. The new model, increasingly favoured by employers,
is DC, defined contribution. In this approach, the employer’s
responsibility is limited to making a certain (“defined”)
contribution to the employees’ pension plan. Contributions made
by both the employer and employee go into an individual account for
the employee, who makes his or her own investment choices. If the plan
falls short, the employee is on the hook.

* Part
four: Conflicts of interest
--- Financial planning: Whom should you trust? By Rob Carrick
October 20, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions
* Comments (78)As pensions become unreliable, more Canadians are being forced to
plan for retirement themselves. But whom do you turn to for help? The
experience of one couple who relied on a financial adviser is a cautionary
tale.

* Part
five: Underfunded dreams
--- No pension safety net for self-employed By Andrew Willis
October 21, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions
* Comments (59)
Meet the next generation of retirees: middle-class workers without pensions
who are left to their own devices and facing an uncertain financial
future. As formal pension plans become increasingly less common, many
Canadians face a savings burden that many are unwilling – or unable
– to shoulder.

* Part
six: Steps to financial freedom
--- Freedom 55? Couple couldn’t wait that long for retirementBy John Heinzl
October 22, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions
* Comments (84)
In a society that encourages consumers to borrow and spend, in which
the pressure to upgrade homes, cars and gadgets never stops, living
within one’s means and staying out of debt is a challenge. But
for people who make a middle-class salary, the “boring”
approach may be the surest route to building wealth and achieving financial
security, say those who have done it.

* Part
seven: Reforming a broken system
--- Canada's gathering pension storm By Konrad Yakabuski
October 23, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions
* Comments (36)
Italy may be one of the worst off, but all developed countries, along
with China, will experience unprecedented economic and social pressure
in coming decades as their populations grey. Few, if any, have prepared
for the demographic tsunami that will hit them as the baby boom generation
heads into its golden years. By comparison, Canadians have some reason
to feel fiscally smug, with a public pension system considered one of
the world’s most financially sustainable. There’s only one
catch: That system pays among the least generous government-sponsored
benefits in the developed world.

National Seniors Council
The National Seniors Council was established to advise the Government
of Canada on all matters related to the well-being and quality of life
of seniors.

Federal, Provincial and Territorial
Finance Ministers
to Discuss Economy and Retirement Income Adequacy at December MeetingAugust 5, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that he will
meet with his provincial and territorial counterparts December 17-18, 2009,
in Whitehorse, to discuss continuing progress in strengthening Canada’s
economy and to receive the report of the Research Working Group on Retirement
Income Adequacy. (...) At their last meeting on May 25, 2009, federal, provincial
and territorial finance ministers agreed to create the Research Working Group
on Retirement Income Adequacy to expand the knowledge base underpinning the
subject of retirement income adequacy. This group, chaired by Ted Menzies, parliamentary
secretary to Minister Flaherty, and supported by research director Jack Mintz
and finance ministers from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and
Nova Scotia, is to report to finance ministers and ministers responsible for
pensions by the end of 2009. The first meeting of this group was held on July
22, 2009, in Calgary and participants agreed to a work plan, which will culminate
in a report to ministers.
Source:Finance Canada

New
Horizons for Seniors Program — The calls for proposals for Community
Participation and Leadership Funding and Capital Assistance Funding are now
open in Quebec until September 11, 2009.
NOTE: this last item was actually in the May What's New update for HRSDC

Reforming retirement-income systems : Lessons from recent experiences
of OECD countries (PDF - 336K, 27 pages)
J. P. Martin and E. Whitehouse
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
OECD social, employment and migration working papers, n° 66
June 2008
(INCLUDES CANADA)Summary:
Reforming pensions looms large over the policy agenda of OECD countries.
This is hardly surprising since public spending on pensions accounted
on average for 7 per cent of OECD GDP in 2005; and this pension spending
effort is set to increase significantly over the coming decades in response
to population ageing. Pension policy is indeed challenging and controversial
because it involves long-term decisions in the face of numerous short-term
political pressures. However, the status quo does not always win out
so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and the
looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs for
reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to make
pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries
have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period.
In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly
affect future benefits. However, the status quo does not always win
out so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and
the looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs
for reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to
make pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries
have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period.
In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly
affect future benefits.
Found in:CERC Bulletin N°158 - July 21, 2008
[NOTE: click the bulletin link to access more studies and reports]From the Council for Employment, Income and Social
Cohesion - Paris

Human Resources and Social Development Canada Public Consultations Website
(dead link)
"Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) is committed
to consulting with Canadians on the issues that affect their daily lives.
Through consultations, the department gains a greater understanding
of the perspectives of a wide range of citizens, stakeholders and experts
and therefore develops better, more informed and more effective policies
and programs for Canadians.Your opinion matters (bolding added). We invite you to visit
this site regularly to learn more about our consultation activities
and how you can get involved."Source:Human Resources and
Social Development Canada (HRSDC)

<begin rant>

HEY, HRSDC - QUIT DELETING CONTENT FROM YOUR SITE!
If my opinion matters, as per the intro to your consultations website,
at least you could have the decency to leave links to completed consultations
on your website.
In the summer of 2005, Social Development Canada (as HRSDC was known
at that time) launched a public consultations website [ http://sdc-dsc.dialoguecircles.com/
].
During the course of that summer and fall, SDC also launched three separate
consultations (see below) - for persons with disabilities, seniors and
caregivers.
All three consultations have vanished from the HRSDC website. You can't
even find them using the HRSDC site search.
I understand that (a) the consultation period is long past, (b) that
Steve Harper's Tories (Canada's Old New Government) took over the reigns
of power early in 2006, and (c) that new governments like to build new
websites.
Oh wait - never mind.
That explains it : New Government, new website, dump the old stuff,
eh...

Internet Archive
to the rescue!
Click the link in the previous line, then copy and paste this URL [
http://sdc-dsc.dialoguecircles.com
] into the box called "The Wayback Machine" in the centre of the page.
The results page is a collection of a dozen links to snapshots of the
complete SDC consultations website; the latest link (Feb. 2007) appears
below.

HINT: the "Resource Area" for each consultation contains
links to some excellent related online resources, including: General
Documents - Outcome Documents from Roundtables - Information on Government
of Canada Programs - Government of Canada Publications - Government
of Canada Seniors-Related Web Sites

Seniors Consultation - Internet Archive version
(02/07) (dead link)While Canadian seniors today enjoy more supports and services than
ever before, many still face important challenges in areas such as health,
financial security, public safety, housing, and social participation.
Not surprisingly, the thought of living as a senior holds promise for
some, and uncertainty for others. (...)

A Tale of Two
Pension Plans: The Differing Fortunes of the Canada and Quebec Pension
Plans (PDF file - 192K, 46 pages)
Ed Tamagno
January 2008The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Quebec
Pension Plan (QPP) are headed towards an historical crossroads. The
most recent actuarial valuation of the CPP shows that the federal scheme
is sound in its financing and should remain financially sound for the
foreseeable future, without the need for any increase in its contribution
rate over the next 75 years. Not entirely so, however, for the QPP.
Although the Quebec plan is in no imminent financial difficulty, its
most recent actuarial valuation indicates that changes to the QPP’s
financing or benefits must be made well before 2050 or the scheme will
be unable to meet its commitments fully after that year. This paper
examines the reasons for the divergence in the financial projections
of the Canada and the Quebec Pension Plans and proposes ways in which
the parallelism of the two schemes, which has been a mainstay of federal
and provincial policy for over four decades, can be maintained.Source:Caledon Institute of Social Policy

NOTE:
On April 1, 2013, the new Social Security Tribunal (SST) became responsible
for appeals under the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Act. The Office
of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals is no longer receiving applications
or holding hearings and has now completed its work. All outstanding appeals
and related matters have been transferred to the SST.

As of April 1, 2013, all appeals for Employment Insurance (EI),
the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and Old Age Security (OAS) must be submitted
to the SST. The first year will be a transition period. During this time, the
SST will consider all new appeals while the former tribunals gradually finalize
their operations. Appeals filed with the Office of the Commissioner of the Review
Tribunals (OCRT), the Pension Appeals Board (PAB) and the Office of the Umpire
(OU) which have not been heard by April 1, 2013 have been transferred to the
SST. The Employment Insurance Board of Referees will continue to hear appeals
filed before April 1, 2013, and will issue decisions on these appeals no later
than October 31, 2013.

On April 1, 2014 the SST will be the only body hearing and
deciding first and second level appeals for EI, CPP and OAS.

Office
of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
"The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is
the primary regulator of federally chartered financial institutions and
federally administered pension plans."
Actuarial Reports - read actuarial reports on the following
subjects: Canada Pension Plan - Old Age Security - Canada
Student Loans Program - Canadian Forces - Federally Appointed Judges -
Members of Parliament - Public Service of Canada.

2006 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Matters of Special Importance—2006
An Overview of the Federal Government's Expenditure Management System
Chapter 1—Expenditure Management System at the Government Centre
Chapter 2—Expenditure Management System in Departments
Chapter 3—Large Information Technology Projects
Chapter 4—Proper Conduct of Public Business—Public Safety
and Emergency Preparedness Agencies
Chapter 5—Relocating Members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, and
Federal Public ServiceChapter
6 : Old Age Security - Human Resources and Social Development Canada
and Service Canada
"(...)Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada
have improved seniors' access to program benefits by simplifying the
application process and by implementing initiatives to increase the
take-up of GIS. However, the organizations lack adequate information
on these and other aspects of their service to clients, and do not give
Parliament a complete picture of program performance.

A brief history of pensions.
Pay attention because you may be about to lose yours
August 1, 2009
By Thomas Walkom
The drive to dismantle the welfare state has a new target. Governments
have already gutted unemployment insurance and social assistance. Out-of-date
labour laws make it tough to organize unions in the new, decentralized,
service-based economy. Now, thanks in large part to the dynamics of
the recession, pensions are under attack. (...) Even before this recession
hit, it was clear that pensions were under the gun. Good retirement
benefits, like good wages, interfere with what economists call labour
market flexibility – that is, the willingness of workers to take
low-wage jobs.
Source:The Toronto Star

$7M bonus as CPP
loses $24B
May 29, 2009
OTTAWA–Four top executives of the Canada Pension Plan Investment
Board pocketed nearly $7 million in bonuses this year despite losing
$24 billion of taxpayers' money in bad investments, according to the
board's annual report released yesterday.

Patchy pensions
leave too many exposed
May 27, 2009
By Carol Goar
(...) Today, Canada has a half-built pension system. It serves a fortunate
minority relatively well, but leaves many workers facing a bleak retirement.
No one is utterly destitute. All seniors are entitled to a monthly old
age security payment. And those who belonged to the workforce receive
a Canada Pension Plan. But these public programs are designed to provide
a modest base on which to build a private retirement income. And millions
of workers simply can't. The lucky ones – 38.5 per cent of working
Canadians – have a company pension. But their luck is running
out...
[ more columns
by Carol Goar ]
Source:Toronto Star

Finance Ministers Indicate Canada
Pension Plan is Financially SoundMay 25, 2009
Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance, as joint stewards
of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), today announced the results of the
program's triennial review at the close of their annual spring meetings
at Meech Lake. The review confirms that the CPP, a key pillar of Canada's
retirement income system, remains on a sound financial footing. "The
CPP is well positioned to weather the current market turbulence," said
the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance. "Canadians can count
on an affordable CPP today and for the future." The CPP provides over
3.6 million retired Canadians with benefits of up to $909 per month.

Related document:

Information Paper: Proposed
Changes
to the Canada Pension PlanProposed by Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of
Finance
Ottawa, May 25, 2009
(...) The proposed changes will provide greater flexibility for older
workers to combine pension and work income if they so wish; modestly
expand pension coverage; and improve fairness in the Plan’s flexible
retirement provisions.
(...) The proposed changes will begin to come into force in 2011 following
approval by the Parliament of Canada and provincial governments.

< COMMENT:
I think it's wonderful that one of the proposed changes to CPP will
allow people to continue working while receiving their CPP benefits.
But the economic downturn is happening NOW, not in 2011, when the CPP
changes will "begin" to come into force. Any change to the CPP requires
the support of two-thirds of the provinces and territories, so if all
Canadian ministers of Finance support the changes, they can fast-track
the process of changing the CPP much more expeditiously.... and I don't think that most of them *wish*
to keep combining pension and work income, by the way --- they have
to.>

Related links:

Consultation on
pensions in Canada"Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory
Framework for Private Pension Plans
Subject to the Pension Benefit Standards Act, 1985"
- launched January 2009
- closing date for input: May 31, 2009
- incl. links to two consultation documents from the Department of Finance

Responses/Submissions
from the public
- links to dozens of responses (to the consultations documents) submitted
to the consultation
by union representatives, pension plan representatives and employer
pension representatives.

---

A
real world solution for public pensions
By Mark Sutcliffe
March 7, 2009
"(...) What's good for the PS is good for Ottawa. But it's fair to ask
whether a cherished benefit awarded to members of the public service
should last forever. While the federal government begins looking at
how to clean up the mess that has become of many private-sector pension
funds, legislators at all levels may want to also consider this difficult
question: Should we consider phasing out the defined-benefit, fully
indexed pensions that are standard for government employees? (...) There's
not much that can or should be done about existing public employees,
who are contractually guaranteed their benefits. But could governments
move toward establishing a defined-contribution plan, like those at
most private-sector employers, for new public servants? Someday, should
government workers carry as much of the burden for saving for their
own retirement as everyone else? Thanks to union agreements, it won't
be an easy process. But it's worth considering. Some may tremble at
any element of uncertainty being introduced into public-sector pensions.
Others would respond, welcome to the real world.
Source:The Ottawa Citizen

---

Department of Finance Releases
Schedule for Pension ConsultationsNews Release
March 4 2009
The Department of Finance announced further details on the public consultations
across Canada on the legislative and regulatory framework for federally
regulated private pension plans, which are scheduled to begin March
13. The Government released a discussion paper seeking views from Canadians
on this issue on January 9. It followed up by announcing in Budget 2009:
Canada's Economic Action Plan that the national consultations will be
chaired by Ted Menzies, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.
- click the news release link above to access the scheduled dates and
locations for the consultations.
- consultations will be held in : Ottawa (March
13) - Halifax (March 17)
- Montréal (March 18) - Toronto (March 20) - Vancouver (April 14) - Whitehorse (April 15) - Edmonton (April 16) - Winnipeg (April 17)

The federal government regulates private pension plans
that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These
plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including
banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transportation. These
plans currently represent 7 per cent of all private pension plans in
Canada, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of pension assets.
Canadians who wish to attend these consultations or send submissions
on the discussion paper are invited to submit an e-mail to this address:
pensions@fin.gc.ca

---

Minister of Finance Launches National Consultations on Private PensionsFebruary 23, 2009
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced the
Government will begin scheduled public consultations across Canada on
the legislative and regulatory framework for federally regulated private
pension plans. (...) The Government released a discussion paper seeking
views from Canadians on this issue on January 9. It followed up by announcing
in Budget 2009: Canada’s Economic Action Plan that the national
consultations will be chaired by Ted Menzies, Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Finance.

The public consultations will run from March 13 to
April 17; click the link above for the schedule of sessions in eight
cities across Canada. Canadians who wish to attend these consultations
or send submissions on the discussion paper are invited to submit an
e-mail to this address: pensions@fin.gc.ca

Related links:

Minister of Finance Releases Discussion
Paper on Private Pensions
News Release
January 9, 2009
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released a discussion
paper on improving the framework for federally regulated private pension
plans. “The Government acted in the Economic and Fiscal Statement
to provide temporary solvency relief to federally regulated pension
plans that have been affected by the substantial declines in equity
markets,” said Minister Flaherty. “The purpose of this paper
is to get the views of Canadians on issues related to the legislative
framework for federally regulated defined benefit and defined contribution
pension plans with the objective of making permanent changes in 2009.”

The federal Government regulates private pension plans
that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These
plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including
banking, telecommunications and inter-provincial transportation.

October 4, 2006More Flexibility to
Seniors in the Management of Their Life Income FundsThe Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that
the regulations to immediately remove the requirement to convert federally regulated
life income funds (LIFs) to life annuities at age 80 have now come into force.
The regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. Seniors have asked for
a greater degree of control over their retirement savings and this initiative
will help give it to them," stated Minister Flaherty. A LIF is a special registered
retirement income fund into which funds from pension plans or other locked-in
retirement funds can be transferred.

Pathways into the GIS
August 2009
* Highlights
* Full article: PDF
(212K, 10 pages)
The article Pathways into the GIS examines the strong
correlation of Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) receipt with people's
income levels at younger ages, particularly one's 40s. Negative labour
market and health occurrences, having a low income and the receipt of
social assistance benefits increased the probability of GIS receipt,
while having an employer pension plan or a registered retirement
savings plan decreased it.

March 12, 2009Employer
pension plans (trusteed pension funds), Third quarter 2008The market value of assets held in employer-sponsored pension
funds fell by 8.7% during the third quarter to $869.0 billion, the largest
quarterly decline in a decade.The decline, equivalent to $82.7 billion,
was the result of a significant drop in stock prices and foreign investments.
The third-quarter level was well below the peak of $954.6 billion reached
at the end of 2007.
- includes two tables :
* Trusteed pension funds, market value of assets by type
* Trusteed pension funds: Revenue and expenditures

GIS Undersubscription:

The Guaranteed Income Supplement Saga

During the summer of 2001, Richard Shillington and
the Toronto Star stirred up a hornet's nest when they criticized the
federal government for not trying to reach several hundred thousand
seniors who were eligible for, but had not applied for, the income-tested
Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) under the Old Age Security program.
Here's an update on that situation.

THE GOOD NEWS:
In 2001, the number of Canadians over 65 who were eligible for GIS but
never applied for it was over 380,000. In 2006, that number was just
over 200,000. That's a drop of almost 50% in five years.

THE BAD NEWS:
In 2006, the number of Canadians over 65 who were eligible for GIS but
never applied for it was just over 200,000.
That's 200,000 Canadian seniors too many.
Moreover, the data is four years old, so it doesn't take into account
the effect of the 2008-2009 recession on GIS take-up. The recession
may in fact have increased the GIS take-up rate, if low-income seniors
were motivated/driven by their difficult circumstances to avail themselves
of all sources of support.

---

From Human Resources and Social Development Canada
(HRSDC)
Federal department responsible for Old Age Security and
the Guaranteed Income Supplement (among other mandates):

This report presents the findings of the evaluation
of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Take-up Measures and Outreach,
which assesses the measures undertaken by Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada (HRSDC) and Service Canada (SC) since 2002 to increase
take-up of the GIS. The objective of the study* is to examine the profile
of eligible non-recipients, the barriers to GIS take-up, the appropriateness
of the design of HRSDC/SC activities, given these barriers, and the
results of activities to increase GIS take-up.
Source:
Excerpt from theExecutive Summary

*The evaluation team collected and reviewed information
mainly
from January to August 2008 but data examined concerns the years 2001
to 2006.

Study:
Guaranteed Income Supplement update, 2006
July 2009
More seniors who are eligible for Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
benefits are actually receiving them, as both take-up rates and application
rates have improved. The GIS was established in 1967 as an additional
benefit for low-income seniors receiving the Old Age Security pension.
(...) Increases in both the GIS take-up rate and application rate between
2000 and 2006 coincided with a number of reforms by the federal government
to simplify the application process. Since 2007, seniors have needed
to apply only once to receive GIS payments for all years of eligibility,
provided they file tax returns. This marks a significant change from
the study period, when eligible seniors were required to re-apply if
they lost eligibility during one or more years because of an increase
in income. [ More...
]

New Poverty
Traps: Means-Testing and Modest-Income Seniors (PDF file -
148K, 13 pages)
April 2003
Richard ShillingtonC.D. Howe Institute Backgrounder
"Millions of Canadians accept the homogenous advice of governments and
the financial community and put billions into RRSPs. However, for many
lower-income Canadians RRSPs are a terrible investment. They are
victims of a fraud, however unintentional. Only when more Canadians are
aware of the perverse treatment of lower-income citizens’ savings will
Ottawa be forced to develop measures that reward, rather than punish,
their savings efforts."
Source:
Tristat Resources
(Richard Shillington's website)

Retirement Planning for the "Rest of Us"Introduction
"This web-site is designed to give Retirement Planning advice for those
Canadians, half the population, who do not have an employer pension
plan and will not save hundreds of thousands of dollars in their RRSP.
Only about 40% of the labour force have an employer pension plan. Jobs
with pension plan coverage usually come with benefits like health
benefits, maternity benefits etc. By retirement about half of families
have no employer pension plan to speak of and must rely on public plans
(OAS, GIS & CPP) and a modest retirement savings, mostly RRSP (on
average about $40,000). This web-site is designed for those without an
employer pension plan or large RRSP. This web-site is about retirement
planning for the "Rest of Us."

Retirement
Planning Resources
for the "Rest of Us"- includes links to the following useful resources:
* Why listen to me? * What is wrong with most Financial Advice *
Recommended Reading for the "Rest of Us" * Are you GIS Destined? * What
you need to know about GIS and Spouses and Widows Allowance * RRSPs
don't work well for you * Why you should probably take early CPP *
Early CPP: Individual Calculator * Credit Cards * Home Ownership * Your
income at retirement

NOTE: Richard is the person who helped the federal
government to find a few hundred thousand seniors who were entitled to,
but not receiving, the Guaranteed Income Supplement under the Old Age
Security Program.

CARP* calls on government to honour Canada’s
pension promise and releases Universal Pension PlanOctober 21, 2009
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia: Canada is not honouring its promise to keep
Canadians out of poverty in retirement says CARP which calls for
immediate pension reform to help Canadians now at risk as well as to
prevent such insecurity for future generations. At a public meeting
organized by CARP’s Halifax Chapter on retirement security, CARP
released its position papers calling for comprehensive pension reform
[* CARP was formerly known as the Canadian Association of Retired
Persons.]

Source:CARP
A New Vision of Aging for Canada: A society in which
everyone can live active, independent, purposeful lives as they age.

Related links:

CARP (Canada)
CARP (originally the Canadian Association of Retired Persons,
now billed as Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus) is a
Canadian
organization advocating for the rights of those fifty years of age or
older.
Source:Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia

National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA)*
The National Advisory Council on Aging was created on May 1, 1980, to
assist and advise the Minister of Health on all matters related to the
aging of the Canadian population and the quality of life of seniors.

Canadian Senior Years
Canadian Senior Years is designed for all Canadian seniors over 50 with a special
focus on the Grey Bruce area of Ontario. The site features up-to-date news feeds
on subjects of interest to Canadian seniors, hundreds of mostly Canadian
site links, games, discussion boards, email pals section, a memorial listing,
articles and much more.

Improving
Seniors Quality of Life
Centre for Health Promotion
University of Toronto
In April, 1999, the Seniors Quality of Life Project began its two year program
of research into the quality of life of seniors in 8 cities across Canada. Seniors
groups in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Regina,
Whitehorse and Vancouver are organizing and carrying out a series of public
consultations on issues and factors affecting the quality of life and well-being
of seniors.
On the main page, you'll find links to the report from Toronto (see below)
- Toronto discussions - Survey results - Vancouver discussions and as well as
information about the Quality of Life Project. A City
for All Ages: fact or fiction?Effects of Government Policy Decisions on the Quality of Life of Toronto
Seniors
The Toronto Project
September 2000 Report
Don't miss the excellent Links to Seniors' Resources

Prince Edward Island Seniors' Guide (PDF - 9.6MB, 99 pages)
Published August 3, 2009
The Prince Edward Island Seniors’ Guide includes information about programs
and services provided to seniors by the federal and provincial governments,
community organizations and service providers

Supports
for SeniorsSeveral departments of the Government of Prince Edward Island provide
programs and services that are designed to assist seniors.
This page provides links to supports organized under the following headings:
* Health and Wellness * Home Care and Support * Housing Assistance * Financial
and Legal Assistance

Seniors and Social Security http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/seniors-and-social-security
To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen
Social Security for future generations. We must do it without putting at risk
current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without
slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans
guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market." (Excerpt
from the 2014 SOTU Adress)

Remarks by the President on Retirementhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/29/remarks-president-retirementJanuary 29, 2014
Excerpt:
So this is the opportunity agenda that's going to help restore some sense of
economic security in this 21st century economy. We want jobs that are more plentiful.
We want skills that keep you employable. We want savings that are portable.
We want health care thats yours and that's not going to be canceled when
you really need it. We want every American who works hard and takes responsibility
to retire with dignity after decades of honest work. These are real, practical,
achievable solutions to help shift the odds back a little bit in favor of more
working and middle-class Americans, so that if they work hard, they can get
ahead and they can leave something for the next generation.

Active Ageing Index 2012
for 27 EU Member States (PDF - 732K, 11 pages)http://www.euro.centre.org/data/1356002554_9393.pdf
Developed by Asghr Zaidi et al.
Vienna, 2012
December Policy Brief The 2012 Active Ageing Index (AAI) is a newly developed
tool that offers national and European policy-makers a way to measure and promote
the untapped potential of the older population. In its
design, the index follows the conceptual framework of the 2012 European Year
for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations (EY2012). It makes use
of a dashboard of diverse indicators, organised under four distinct domains:(1) Employment of older workers;
(2) Social activity and participation of older people;
(3) Independent and autonomous living of older persons; and
(4) Capacity and enabling environment for active ageing.

The year 2012 has marked the 10th anniversary
of the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing and also the 2nd cycle of review and appraisal
of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
It is also the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.
To mark these major occasions, the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the European
Commissions Directorate General on Employment, Social Protection and Inclusion
and the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research have undertaken
a research and policy advice project, called: the Active Ageing Index
project, constructing the Active Ageing Index (AAI), which was launched during
the Closing Conference of the EY2012, 10th December 2012, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Exclusion
from Material Resources among Older People
in EU Countries: New Evidence on Poverty and Capability Deprivation
(PDF - 1.5MB, 18 pages)
By Asghar Zaidi
July 2011 Policy Brief
The salient features of the current European economic climate are not easy to
view with optimism: an uncertain recovery from recession, uncomfortably high
levels of unemployment, Eurozone debt crises and the longer-term challenges
of population ageing and sustainability of social welfare systems - all make
for hard reading. (...) This Policy Brief examines the picture for the current
generation of older people, with particular reference to their exclusion from
material resources, an absence which triggers and identifies other forms of
exclusions for older people. Income is used as a primary measure of exclusion
(following Atkinson), but Sen's ideas, emphasising agency freedom and capability
aspects of welfare, are also adopted.
Source:
European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

United Kingdom

Home
care in London (PDF - 868K, 42 pages)
By Laura bradley
July 1, 2011
Over the next two decades, the number of people aged over 80 is set to double
in Britain. Public services must adapt to the challenge that this poses, central
to which is the need to deliver social care to older people. Home-based care
has the potential to reduce the pressure on more costly public services such
as hospital beds and care-home places. (...) This paper explores the issue of
home-based social care in London. It provides policymakers and commissioners
with a clearer idea of what makes for good quality home-based care, the challenges
that exist for delivering it, and how the increasing demand can be met.
Source: Institute for Public Policy Research
IPPR, the Institute for Public Policy Research, is the UKs leading progressive
thinktank. We produce rigorous research and innovative policy ideas for a fair,
democratic and sustainable world.

AARP (formerly called
the American Association of Retired Persons)
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people
age 50 and over have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial
and affordable to them and society as a whole, ways that help people 50 and
over improve their lives. Since 1958, AARP has been leading a revolution in
the way people view and live life. Our work reaches deep into members' communities
through support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Internet
Resources on Aging
Browse AARP's database on Internet resources, and link to more than 1,200 of
the best sites for people age 50+.
This resource was last updated November 2010.Topics and Subtopics:
* Aging of Special Populations
* Aging Organizations and General Interest
* Caregiving, Supportive Services, and Assistive Devices
* Death and Dying
* Employment, Finances, and Retirement
* Family, Personal Relationships, and Online Community
* Government, Legislation, and Public Policy
* Health and Well-Being
* Housing and Long Term Care
* Law and Legal Issues
* Leisure, Learning, and Personal Growth
* Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security
* Older Drivers and Transportation
* Research and Reference
* State and Local Resources

Site review by The Scout Report:
The American Association of Retired
Persons (AARP) covers aging and aging-related topics quite well,
and this website is one of their many compelling initiatives. The
databases, AgeSource and AgeStats, on AARP's international website are
designed to "facilitate the international exchange of policy and
program-relevant information in aging." Under the "Aging Everywhere"
tab is an interactive map that allows the visitor to read "Country
Profiles" as well as read articles about a region selected from the
map. A "Comparative Data Search" can also be done by clicking on the
link above the map. There are multiple ways to search the information
in the databases. On the left hand menu visitors can explore by topic
or by region. Some of the topics include "Aging & Society",
"Economic Retirement & Security", "Livable Communities" and
"Long-Term Care". Searching for a particular topic can be accomplished
by using the keyword search box in the middle of the page. The search
can be further limited by deciding which databases to search, and by
information type, geographic coverage, and language.
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2009. http://scout.wisc.edu/

Founded in 1986, to "promote medical and behavioral research
into the aging process", the Washington D.C.-based Alliance for Aging Research
has a website that covers many different "Topics". Visitors can explore
general topics, such as "Caregiving", "Longevity", "Medical
Innovation", and "Policy", as well as "Focus Areas".
The focus areas include "Access to Breakthroughs", "Drug Development",
"Persistent Pain" and "Vision Loss". On the homepage visitors
can take "Surveys & Quizzes", like "Understanding Persistent
Pain" and "Valve Disease Quiz - How Much Do You Know?" Related
to the valve disease quiz is the recent podcast of a valve surgery patient,
who discusses the symptoms she felt that resulted in her recent visit to the
doctor, how she was diagnosed, her growing knowledge of the surgical procedure,
and how she felt after surgery. Visitors can find that podcast and others, at
the "Media" link near the bottom of the homepage. Also in the "Media"
link, visitors can find videos, such as "Will Science Cure Aging?",
and a rich archive of videos and podcasts

AgeSource/AgeStats Worldwidehttp://www.aarpinternational.org/database/AgeSource Worldwide identifies several hundred information resources
in some 25 countries which are significant either in size or in their unique
coverage of particular aging-related issues. The resources include, among others,
clearinghouses, libraries, databases, training materials, major reports, and
Web metasites.
AgeStats Worldwide provides access to statistical data that compare the
situation of older adults across countries or regions around a variety of issues,
such as demography, pensions, health and long-term care. The most recent data
and projections as far ahead as 2050 are provided where available. You may search
either or both databases at one time. Access is free-of-charge. AgeSource and
AgeStats Worldwide have been created by AARP to facilitate the international
exchange of policy and program-relevant information in aging.

Nearly
1 in 5 older Americans believed
to be in poverty --- almost double the official rateSeptember 4, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The poverty rate among older Americans could be
nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to
a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs
and geographic variations in the cost of living. The National Academy of Science's
formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including
some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for
Americans 65 and over at 18.6 percent, or 6.8 million people, compared
with 9.7 percent, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure.
The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account
of rising costs of medical care and other factors.
Source:Associated Press

Pensions
at a glance 2007
OECD
People in OECD countries will have to save more for their retirement as a result
of the major pensions reforms carried out in recent years, according to this
report. The average pension promise in 16 OECD countries studied was cut by
22 per cent. For women, the reduction was 25 per cent.
Posted June 8, 2007
Source:Australian Policy Online

Confusions
about Social Security (PDF file - 195K, 11 pages)
Paul Krugman (Princeton University)
January 2005
"There is a lot of confusion in the debate over Social Security
privatization, much of it deliberate. This essay discusses the meaning
of the trust fund, which privatizers declare either real or fictional
at their convenience; the likely rate of return on private accounts,
which has been greatly overstated; and the (ir)relevance of putative
reductions in far future liabilities."
Source:The Economists' Voice -
U.S.
(Editor: Joseph E. Stiglitz)

Related Links:

Social
Security Administration (U.S. Government)
"Visit the Social Security Administration Web site for publications and
online resources to help you understand your Social Security benefits,
how to apply for benefits, and the history of the Social Security
program. You can also apply for benefits online."

AARP
Social Security Center
[AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people over
50.]
"AARP maintains a special Social Security Center on its Web site. Visit
the center to test your knowledge and find answers to some commonly asked
questions about Social Security. You can also learn about issues and challenges
facing Social Security, and you can tell your elected officials what you
think about Social Security."

BenefitsCheckUp
"NCOA's latest innovation, BenefitsCheckUp, is a simple and
confidential online service made for seniors and caregivers. The
program searches more than 1,000 federal and state programs and finds
those for which the senior may be eligible."

International
Day of Older Persons
The General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of
Older Persons by resolution 45/106 of 14 December 1990, following up on
initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing,
adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that
year by the General Assembly.

SeniorSite
(U.S. site, worth a visit to see hundreds of links to valuable information)

US Administration on Aging
In order to serve a growing senior population, AoA envisions ensuring the continuation
of a vibrant aging services network at State, Territory, local and Tribal levels
through funding of lower-cost, non-medical services and supports that provide
the means by which many more seniors can maintain their independence. The mission
of AoA is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective system
of home and community-based services that helps elderly individuals maintain
their health and independence in their homes and communities.

ElderWeb (U.S.,
with international links - incl. Canada)- includes over 6,000 reviewed links to long term care information, as well
as an expanding library of articles and reports, news, and events. This award-winning
site is designed to be a research site for both professionals and family members
looking for information on eldercare and long term care, and includes links
to information on legal, financial, medical, and housing issues, as well as
policy, research, and statistics.

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods:
A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society
25 February 2008
The ageing of the population will be one of the greatest challenges of
the 21st century for housing. This strategy sets out our response to
this challenge, our plan to create Lifetime Homes in Lifetime
Neighbourhoods. It outlines our plans for making sure that there is
enough appropriate housing available in future to relieve the
forecasted unsustainable pressures on homes, health and social care
services.

The
Bertelsmann Foundation (Europe)
"Following in the footsteps of its founder, Reinhard Mohn, the
Bertelsmann Foundation is committed to the common good. Its charitable
activities, transparently administered, are based on the conviction
that competition is indispensable to social progress. The Bertelsmann
Foundation considers itself an agent of social change for a sustainable
society; its goal as an operating foundation is to develop, organize
and implement exemplary solutions to societal problems."
- See the Bertelsmann Foundation sitemap
for an overview of what you'll find on this large site.

To search the complete
Canadian Social Research Links website ,
use the text box below:

To search ONLY the page you
are now reading,
use Ctrl + F to open a search window.

SUBSCRIBE
TO THE CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH NEWSLETTER
Sign up to receive this free weekly newsletter by e-mail or read it
online (including archives back to January 2005).
Each issue includes all links added to this site during the previous
week. (2800+ subscribers in January 2017)